Bradley Picked Last in Preseason Poll

[Samd2]

last ????

I really do not think we will finish in the top 3, but last !!!!
I dont think so, I was a big Jl fan, now i am a geno fan, when he leaves I will support the next coach. But really, Geno is a good proven coach and I think he can coach us out of the last place position no problem.

[patrick_o'brian]

not a chance bradley finishes below isu. they are an embarrasment to the league. bad coaches, bad players, bad facilities, bad arena and bad fans. coach stankovich was on 96.5 with donny and they thought it was just hilarious, yuckin' it up because they were picked ahead of bradley.,come back and talk to me when you have a s.o.s. rpi higher than 350. horrible program and wish they would just go to D-III. That is their level of competition anyway! I'm trying to think of a way to put my money where my mouth is. leaning toward running from carver to redbird arena with an isu jersey on if bradley finishes lower than the redbirds.....

LOL! Tell us how you REALLY feel! I can't stand them either!

[Bravesfan]

What's the old Bradley song...

"It's a long way up when you're coming from nowhere...."


I loved that one.


BU knew it was going to have an uphill climb this season. You were poor last season; you had players leave, and now you have a ton of new bodies that have to play big minutes.

To me, this season is about two things:

1. Most importantly, setting a foundation, style, and expectation for the future of your program. This group has to be molded, by Coach Ford, into what he wants to see in the future. How practices are run, what kind of effort Coach expects, how does the team prepare for games, what kind of in-game coaching and adjustments are made, etc.

2. Getting better as the season goes on. I don't know anyone who expects a ton of wins. I know a ton of people who want to see growth and development as the year progresses. Once the team and players understand the system and expectations, they need to show growth and get more competitive.

At the end of this year, I would expect everyone (coaches, players, fans) to know what kind of program is being built moving forward. We will know the type of players we are going after, the style of offense and defense we might play, and how Coach teaches and motivates.

We will take our lumps, but I think we will show the important long-range developments that will make BU consistent winners in the future.

Great assessment BradleyJD! I think that's the least all Bradley fans should expect this year. But I cannot agree at all with Bradley being picked last this year. I figure we should be able to finish ahead of SIU and ISU red, and probably Drake as well since they have some injury issues. If we beat these three at home like we should, win one or two against them on the road, and win at least two more games at home and one on the road against others, this would give us 7 or 8 wins which should be enough for at the minimum a 7th place finish. Of course I'm hoping for 6th in order to avoid Thursday night in St. Louis. I'm not expecting a top 3 or 4 finish, but I still think we can have a very respectable season this year if we learn how to finish games and become accustomed to the new offensive system Geno is installing here.

[wily coyote]

not a chance bradley finishes below isu. they are an embarrasment to the league. bad coaches, bad players, bad facilities, bad arena and bad fans. coach stankovich was on 96.5 with donny and they thought it was just hilarious, yuckin' it up because they were picked ahead of bradley.,come back and talk to me when you have a s.o.s. rpi higher than 350. horrible program and wish they would just go to D-III. That is their level of competition anyway! I'm trying to think of a way to put my money where my mouth is. leaning toward running from carver to redbird arena with an isu jersey on if bradley finishes lower than the redbirds.....

Now thats funny. I don't care what you say thats funny.

[AZ BU Fan]

'Experts' also picked the SF 49ers to be last in the NFL West Division this season.

SF is 7-1 through today, and the pre season poll by 'experts' now seems pretty ridiculous.

Who would have thought a change in head coach could have such a dramatic affect on a previously underachieving team (particularly with little preseason time to prepare)?

Just play them one at a time BU, and improve from game to game!

[buschsquirrel2011]

If Geno Ford gets this team out of the Thursday night play in round he should win Coach of the Year awards.

What is embarassing is how bad all three Illinois MVC school are at the moment. BU made a coaching change to try and make a difference, SIU is in an albatross of a coaching contract and ISU seems to not really care one way or another.

I would take BU's situation any day of the week. At least there is passion there and not empathy.

[TheGuy]

They say our conference is cyclical. Personally I think it is just our turns to be on the bottom of the league. I would hope that the next couple of years BU, ISU and SIU will be moving towards the top of the conference. BU has some exciting new talent to be hopeful about in the coming years as does ISU. I think SIU could be in the same situation but they are going to experience a coaching change at some point that should have them starting over again. I know that both BU and ISU were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference this year, but I suspect one or both teams will finish near the middle and look like we are on an upswing the following season. There are a few teams picked in the middle that I don't think will be as good as everyone is projecting and I think their preseason picks like most everyones is based off of last years production. Just look at UNI for example. After O'Rear went down they lost a ton of games but still finished in the middle. Not only do they lose him, but the also lost one of the best PG's in the valley from last year. Defensively I just don't think they are going to be as good as we normally see them being. There are also questions about how good MSU is going to be now that they have to replace 4 starters. Then there is Indiana St. who I think teams will "figure out" this year. Last season they caught lightning in a bottle and I see their winning the tourney as more of a fluke than anything else. They are very dependent on outside shooting and if the shots aren't falling it could be their downfall. They could be the surprise team this year that doesn't do as well as expected.

[cpacmel]

What is embarassing is how bad all three Illinois MVC school are at the moment. BU made a coaching change to try and make a difference, SIU is in an albatross of a coaching contract and ISU seems to not really care one way or another.

I am not even sure what you mean with the ISU comment. Coach Jankovich is starting his 5th year at ISU. During his first 3 years @ ISU, his teams finished 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd. Last year stunk with a 9th place finish, but let's not forget he has finished in the top 3, three out of the 4 years he has been in Normal.

Now if we are in the play-in games again this year, then maybe the seat starts to get warm. But it's nothing like it was in Peoria or even Carbondale.

Most fans I know think Coach Jankovich is a great recruiter, a good in game coach, a God awful scheduler and a good guy. (despite the occasional speeding ticket and cell phone violation)

[tornado]

I actually find myself agreeing with you cpacmel...

-first regarding ISU -- they did well for Jank's 1st 3 years then bottomed out - but Jank has reloaded and the rest of the guys who were "inexperienced" last year are now the experienced guys and playing reasonably well..

In ISU's two exhibitions (one vs. Quincy and one was the Red-White) they've been shooting and rebounding well....they scored well in the Red White and shot 50%...

and against a team that humbled Drake (a team picked higher than ISU) - The Redbirds hit at will and blew them out by 40

Maybe if there was a time to say this about ISU it was last year but Jank seems to actually be doing what's needed to rebound - so I will give 'em a chance to see what they've got before coming down hard on them.


-Then likewise - SIU may not be at the top of the Valley yet - but in their two public exhibitions, they played well and blew them out!!


-Finally -- on BU -- hey give Geno a chance before lumping him in with perceived bottom dwellers!
we have two players who if healthy - look to be All-Conference caliber players - and everyone who has actually seen BU play so far either in their exhibition or in practices has commented on the energy, the athleticism, and the hustle - and are inclined to think we're going to do better than picked.

[srw]

I actually find myself agreeing with you cpacmel...

-first regarding ISU -- they did well for Jank's 1st 3 years then bottomed out - but Jank has reloaded and the rest of the guys who were "inexperienced" last year are now the experienced guys and playing reasonably well..

In ISU's two exhibitions (one vs. Quincy and one was the Red-White) they've been shooting and rebounding well....they scored well in the Red White and shot 50%...

and against a team that humbled Drake (a team picked higher than ISU) - The Redbirds hit at will and blew them out by 40

Maybe if there was a time to say this about ISU it was last year but Jank seems to actually be doing what's needed to rebound - so I will give 'em a chance to see what they've got before coming down hard on them.


-Then likewise - SIU may not be at the top of the Valley yet - but in their two public exhibitions, they played well and blew them out!!


-Finally -- on BU -- hey give Geno a chance before lumping him in with perceived bottom dwellers!
we have two players who if healthy - look to be All-Conference caliber players - and everyone who has actually seen BU play so far either in their exhibition or in practices has commented on the energy, the athleticism, and the hustle - and are inclined to think we're going to do better than picked.

isnt the scheduling the problem with ISU however?

Jank should have been to an NCAA but the fact is, he wasnt.

The NIT is a reputable tournament....The others, eh...

I don't care whether Jank stays or goes, but I believe his warmth to be self inflicted.

[shaunguth]

we have two players who if healthy - look to be All-Conference caliber players

Nonsense.....TB isn't even one of the top 20 players in this conference.....just ask the "experts".

[Chico]

Nonsense.....TB isn't even one of the top 20 players in this conference.....just ask the "experts".

Who are we supposed to ask?

[buschsquirrel2011]

I actually find myself agreeing with you cpacmel...

-first regarding ISU -- they did well for Jank's 1st 3 years then bottomed out - but Jank has reloaded and the rest of the guys who were "inexperienced" last year are now the experienced guys and playing reasonably well..

In ISU's two exhibitions (one vs. Quincy and one was the Red-White) they've been shooting and rebounding well....they scored well in the Red White and shot 50%...

and against a team that humbled Drake (a team picked higher than ISU) - The Redbirds hit at will and blew them out by 40

Maybe if there was a time to say this about ISU it was last year but Jank seems to actually be doing what's needed to rebound - so I will give 'em a chance to see what they've got before coming down hard on them.


-Then likewise - SIU may not be at the top of the Valley yet - but in their two public exhibitions, they played well and blew them out!!


-Finally -- on BU -- hey give Geno a chance before lumping him in with perceived bottom dwellers!
we have two players who if healthy - look to be All-Conference caliber players - and everyone who has actually seen BU play so far either in their exhibition or in practices has commented on the energy, the athleticism, and the hustle - and are inclined to think we're going to do better than picked.

I've seem BU play this year and I'm not sure where they will finish--Im still thinking 9th or 10th. It would be tough for me to make an educated guess because there are 9 other teams in the conference. I think sometimes people forget this

How do I know if what I see at BU compares to what they are doing at Missouri State, for example? To say "everyone" who has seem BU play is inclined to think they will be better than picked would be a bit of a reach.

If SIU, ISU and BU are all going to be better than picked then what three teams finish 8,9 and 10 this year in the MVC?

I agree with SRW. Jank had a guy in Osiris and never made the NCAA's. His schedule was an abolute joke to his team and the MVC. He finished 9th and is picked again towards the bottom. When the league was down he didn't capitalize. Now the league is a lot better and he isn't where he was.

[LittleBrave]

If SIU, ISU and BU are all going to be better than picked then what three teams finish 8,9 and 10 this year in the MVC?

I agree with SRW. Jank had a guy in Osiris and never made the NCAA's. His schedule was an abolute joke to his team and the MVC. He finished 9th and is picked again towards the bottom. When the league was down he didn't capitalize. Now the league is a lot better and he isn't where he was.

Just because you have one marquis player on a team doesn't make you NCAA material. I think Jank did a more than respectable job in 3 of his 4 years. And scheduling DID keep him out of the Big Dance in possibly 2 of the years. (Yes, the responsibility mainly lies with him in this)
And what do you mean, the league is a lot better? using what criteria???
We're worse than we have been in a league in a decade or more! Last season was the worst in a looooong time - how much better are we going to get this year, as the best 2 teams last year are arguably better than the Top 2 this year. I DO think the league will be slightly stronger, but they're going to have to prove something to me. I would be totally shocked if we get 3 teams in the NCAA tourney.

The teams that could easily finish 9, and 10 if the 3 Illinois teams improve are:

Drake
Missouri St.

So many are up on MSU this season - some picking them 3rd. But with so much turnover and so many newcomers, I would venture to say they will be playing on Thursday in St. Louis.

[shaunguth]

Who are we supposed to ask?

I don't recall who the guy was, but he didn't have TB listed on his first four MVC all-conference teams. TB was also not among the top 10 players in the MVC Poll determined by panel of league sports information directors, media, and coaches.